On the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced a critical policy change aimed at protecting its members from excessively long working hours by banning continuous on-call shifts exceeding 24 hours.
Following its Annual General Meeting (AGM), NARD released a statement signed by President Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, Secretary-General Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity and Social Secretary Dr. Abdulmajeed Yahya Ibrahim. The association characterized extended call duties as a “silent threat” responsible for the premature deaths of numerous young medical professionals nationwide.
“If we do not prioritize our own well-being, who will?” the statement emphasized. Consequently, starting October 1, 2025, all doctors-consider-nationwide-strike-after-federal-ultimatum/” title=”Resident … Threaten Nationwide Strike as Deadline to Federal Government Passes”>resident doctors in Nigeria are mandated to discontinue continuous call duties that exceed a 24-hour timeframe.
NARD highlighted that such prolonged shifts significantly increase the risk of medical mistakes due to fatigue, jeopardizing patient safety and severely impacting doctors’ mental, physical, and emotional health. The association mourned the frequent sacrifices resident doctors make, often at the expense of their own lives, in their commitment to patient care.
Drawing attention to Nigeria’s critical shortage of medical personnel, NARD referenced the World Health Organization’s recommended doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:600, contrasting it with Nigeria’s alarming ratio of 1:9,083.
With approximately 11,000 resident doctors serving a population nearing 240 million, the workload is overwhelming. NARD reported that resident doctors average 106.5 working hours weekly, with surgical residents enduring over 122.7 hours per week.
The association warned that this unsustainable burden not only endangers patients but also devastates doctors’ health and family lives. “Who will care for their loved ones after they are gone? How many more lives must be lost before meaningful reforms are enacted?” NARD questioned.
Among its resolutions, NARD called on the federal government to enforce an immediate one-to-one replacement policy to alleviate the excessive workload and to establish strict regulations limiting call hours in alignment with international standards.
While recognizing the dedication of doctors who remain in Nigeria despite the ongoing global brain drain, the association underscored the urgent need for protective measures, equitable compensation, and systemic reforms to preserve the medical profession.
On this Independence Day, NARD urged Nigerians not only to celebrate national achievements but also to honor the sacrifices made by resident doctors across the country.
